Medical clinics

I have helped with clinic several times now. Overall, things are going very well. My Spanish is improving, but continues to be a struggle. As before, many of the patients speak only Quiche and translators are required.

I have some weird stories, like the ant I retrieved out of a young girl's ear. I have some amazing stories, like the woman with a blood sugar of over 600 last week who not only survived, but looks better this week. I have many frustrating stories, so many people who need surgery or other specialty care but cannot receive it.

I also have stories of faith. There is the prayer we share every day before clinic starts and there is the prayer we pray with our patients in hopeless situations. For the last two weeks in San Andres, we have had patients ask for a medicine for a 'sad heart'. After telling them that there is no medicine for this, Hermano Mateo, the father to two of our translators and an active part of the local church, has come and explained to them that only through Jesus can we find true peace. After talking with him, both asked to pray a prayer of salvation with him.

This picture is of a young man, named Andres, that I was able to have a conversation with after his 'consulta'